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President: Rob Schimmelpfennig Executive Vice President: Judy Robson Vice President: Mike Fedler Vice President: Bill Kline Treasurer: Rich Vanek Secretary: Debbi Waring BOARD MEMBERS: Baerbel Baginski, WSL Steve Candella Neroy Carter Arnie Esterer Adele Herzog Mary Ellen Higley Ken Johnson Mark Jones Randy Jones Gloria Kaull Kim Laurello Ed Looman Chris McClure Tom Picken Scot Sinkler Linda VanBuren Joseph Varckette Ellen Winer Phyllis Duffy-Zala | ||
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Executive Director Cindy Rimpela Business Manager Pamela Hammond Public Relations/Marketing Coordinator Shelagh Dubsky Dance Coordinator Lyn Savarise Music Coordinator Meeghan Humphrey Visual Arts Coordinator Phil Mullet Technical Liason Joe Ford Maintenance Coordinator Marquitta Mollick Evening Desk Coordinator
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 2928 West 13th St. Ashtabula, Ohio 44004 phone: 440-964-3396 |
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Posted: Wednesday, June 25, 2003
A new theater is built, Straw Hat moves, and leadership of the AAC changes hands By Beth Koski, Executive Director With 2003 marking the 50th birthday of the AAC, we are continuing our decade-by-decade look at a bit of our history co-mingled with my personal recollections and experiences. The 1980's It's hard to believe the beginning of this decade was almost 25 years ago (and that two of our current Arts Center staff members were infants at the onset of this time - egad!). Shelagh Dubsky joined the AAC staff early in '80's; I was tapped to be a member of the Center's Board of Trustees in 1981; and things were moving right along. In 1980 five acres of additional land were purchased adjacent to the Center's grounds and Straw Hat Theatre was moved to its current, permanent home. The Civic Development Corporation (CDC) was again the main facilitator of this achievement. Straw Hat's former tent home at Walnut Beach had been plagued by vandalism during this time, thus making it necessary for someone to stay overnight at the site. The move to the AAC's grounds was a vast improvement for all involved. CDC support in 1982 also brought a new catering kitchen to the Center's facility. Energy conservation projects were also completed, with the Center's old windows being replaced with double paned ones. Operating cash was/is always extremely tight. The Center existed on basically a hand to mouth basis. Several members of the staff (theatre coordinator, tech director, front desk person, marketing person, etc.) were all on staff through the Federal CETA program. Grant support was meager but did include funding from the Ohio Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Kulas Foundation and other local sources. Friends of the AAC were consistent in their support in all areas � donations, volunteering and active participation. Looking forward to the 1985 CDC fundraising campaign, the Center�s Board of Trustees and Staff realized a complete theater facility would be a much needed shot in the arm to help with cash flow problems - it would allow us to stage 'The Nutcracker' at home, it would allow for theater productions too large for the small recital stage, and it would be the only stage in Ashtabula County specifically built to house live theater. Armed with plans, figures and projections, the Center's Facility/Building Committee approached CDC for a grant to make this dream come true. CDC did grant the Center about $200,000 of the necessary $390,000 to add our performing arts wing. The balance of the project was funded through a very generous anonymous gift and individual donations from the community at large. In late 1984 Executive Director Caron Van Gilder announced she had taken a position out of state and would be leaving the AAC as of January 1985. There followed a national search to secure the right individual to take the lead at our Center. In the early fall of l985 Leroy Johnston was hired for that role. He was with us for just about a year when he left for other endeavors. At that time, I was recruited by the Board of Trustees to fill the Executive Director�s position. I was fully aware of the Center's circumstances as I had served on its Board of Trustees since l981 and was a member of the Executive Committee. We were smack dab in the middle of the building addition, our finances were in very bad shape and the staff was demoralized by the recent lay off of one third of their members due to budget constraints. Yep, I was nuts - but I absolutely loved and believed in the Arts Center. Being here has always been challenging -- and the rewards from personal enrichment gained are immeasurable. Suffice to say it was tough. There were many, many who assisted in these difficult and exciting times - the staff, Serene Farmer, Doug Hedberg, Bud Hill and many, many more. The list of names is so long I fear I'll forget someone if I try to name them all. The new addition was dedicated in February 1987. The new theater space lacked curtains, many lights, sound equipment, and lots of other theater riggings, but the enthusiasm was enormous. Little by little many items have been added to our theater making it one of the best-equipped community theaters in our region. With diligent attention to the Center's bottom line, we gradually made progress in paying bills, increasing staff size, and adding programs. Shelagh Dubsky and I are the only two members of the current AAC staff who lived through this exciting and difficult decade. It was a bittersweet time, but we had turned the corner by the time the l990's arrived. More to come'. | ||||